Mount Martha New Build: Reaching Lock-Up Stage
Mount Martha New Build: Reaching Lock-Up Stage
At TEMSEA Building Group, the lock-up stage represents a pivotal milestone in any new build. It’s the point where a home transitions from an open structure into a sealed, weather-tight envelope — and for our Mount Martha project, the past month has been focused on achieving exactly that. With all external cladding now installed, services roughed in, and the interior prepared for plaster, this two-storey build is taking definitive shape.
Spotted Gum Shiplap Cladding: Natural Timber With a Refined Edge
One of the defining features of this Mount Martha home is the use of spotted gum shiplap cladding, finished in Cutek’s ‘Charred Ash’ colour. Spotted gum is one of Australia’s most durable hardwoods, prized for its density, natural resistance to decay, and striking grain variation. When paired with the Cutek Charred Ash finish, it delivers a deep, richly toned exterior that feels both contemporary and grounded in its natural surroundings.
Cutek is a penetrating oil system rather than a surface film, meaning it works with the timber’s natural movement rather than against it. This approach reduces the risk of peeling, flaking, or cracking over time — a critical consideration for a coastal build where UV exposure and moisture fluctuations are constant. The Charred Ash colour provides a darkened, almost carbonised tone that emphasises the timber’s natural grain while offering UV protection and water repellency.
Spotted gum shiplap was selected for key feature walls and entry areas of the home, creating visual warmth and textural contrast against the more uniform profiles used elsewhere on the façade.
BGC Nuline Weatherboards and James Hardie Axon Cladding: A Considered Combination
Alongside the spotted gum, this project incorporates two complementary manufactured cladding products: BGC Nuline weatherboards and James Hardie Axon cladding. Each was chosen for its specific performance characteristics and the role it plays in the overall design.
BGC Nuline weatherboards deliver the classic horizontal weatherboard profile that sits naturally in the Peninsula’s residential landscape. Made from fibre cement, they offer excellent resistance to moisture, termites, and fire — all essential properties for a home in this region. Their clean, consistent lines provide a refined backdrop that allows the featured timber elements to stand out.
James Hardie Axon cladding introduces a vertical line and a more contemporary profile to the façade. This vertical orientation creates a deliberate visual shift that adds architectural depth and prevents the exterior from reading as one-dimensional. Axon’s compressed fibre cement composition offers the same durability and low-maintenance advantages as the Nuline boards, while its panel format allows for efficient installation across larger wall areas.
The combination of horizontal weatherboard, vertical Axon panels, and natural spotted gum shiplap creates a layered exterior that is both visually dynamic and functionally cohesive. Each material responds to the same environmental demands, but contributes its own texture, line, and character to the overall composition.
HardiGroove Soffit Lining: Clean Lines Overhead
Completing the external cladding package, HardiGroove soffit lining has been installed across all eave and soffit areas. Soffits are often overlooked, yet they play an important role in both the appearance and performance of a home’s exterior. HardiGroove provides a clean, linear finish that carries the home’s refined detailing through to every visible surface, including the underside of eaves and covered outdoor areas.
Beyond aesthetics, HardiGroove is engineered to resist moisture and maintain its form in exposed locations. For a home on the Mornington Peninsula, where soffits are subject to wind-driven rain, condensation, and salt-laden air, this durability is essential. Well-finished soffits also contribute to proper ventilation within the roof cavity, helping to regulate temperature and moisture build-up over the life of the home.
Working Towards Lock-Up: What It Means and Why It Matters
The lock-up stage marks the point where the building is fully enclosed — roof on, external cladding complete, windows and doors installed, and the structure protected from the weather. It is one of the most significant milestones in any residential build because it signals the shift from external construction to internal fit-out.
Over the past month, our team has been focused on bringing this Mount Martha home to lock-up. This has involved coordinating the installation of all external cladding systems, roughing in essential services — electrical, plumbing, and mechanical — and preparing the internal wall and ceiling frames to receive plaster. Each of these trades has been sequenced carefully to avoid delays, protect completed work, and maintain quality across every element.
Reaching lock-up also means the home is now weather-tight, which protects internal materials and allows internal trades to begin work regardless of external conditions. For a build on the Peninsula, where weather can shift rapidly, this is a practical milestone as much as a progress milestone.
Looking Ahead
With the external envelope now complete, the next phase of this Mount Martha build will move indoors. Plastering, internal lining, and the first stages of fit-out are on the horizon — each building on the precision and care established during the structural and lock-up stages. At TEMSEA, we see every stage of a build as an opportunity to get the details right. The materials selected for this project — from the natural warmth of spotted gum to the engineered durability of fibre cement cladding — reflect a commitment to long-term performance, design integrity, and a home that belongs in its environment. If you’re planning a new build on the Mornington Peninsula and want a team that approaches every stage with care and expertise, we’d welcome the conversation.
Start your Project with Temsea
.webp)